- At Kansas City Chiefs — Sunday, Oct. 28, 12 p.m. CDT
The Broncos head into the season with a five-game losing streak against the Chiefs, and Arrowhead Stadium has been particularly unkind to Denver during that stretch. The Chiefs eliminated the Broncos from playoff contention with a 33-10 blowout win at the end of 2016, and things weren't much better in 2017 when the Broncos turned the ball over five times.
The two teams will meet earlier in the year on "Monday Night Football," but this game at the halfway point of the season could answer a lot of questions about the Broncos. And with a new-look roster that includes Patrick Mahomes II, the contest could also shed light on how the next chapter of this rivalry will develop.
4. Los Angeles Chargers — Sunday, Dec. 30, 2:25 p.m. MST
A late-season matchup with a divisional opponent always provides intrigue. Will this be Philip Rivers' final game in Denver or will his career continue into the 2019 season? If he's playing anywhere nearing his best, the Chargers will likely be fighting for — or have locked up — a playoff spot.
Los Angeles has arguably the most-talented roster in the AFC West, and many believe the Chargers will be division favorites in 2018. That would create a good battle at any time of the year, but when you place it in Week 17, it increases the possibility that the Broncos may have to win this one to get back to the postseason.
3. Seattle Seahawks — Sunday, Sept. 9, 2:25 p.m. MDT
In Case Keenum's first start with the Broncos, nothing would be better than to come away with a win against a traditionally powerful opponent led by Russell Wilson. And a good start shouldn't be overstated for the Broncos. It would help wash away the taste of 2017 and help establish momentum for the rest of the season.
Still, there are no guarantees after Week 1 in the NFL. The Broncos' fate over the last two seasons should prove just that. In 2016, the Broncos started 4-0 and finished 9-7. Last year, Denver raced out to a 3-1 start and stumbled down the stretch to finish 5-11.
The Broncos hope the message of accountability that's circulating around the facility will help fix that, and we'll get our first chance to see how that translates to the field on Sept. 9.
For the eighth year in a row, the Broncos will open in front of their home faithful. And against an opponent Broncos fans likely aren't fond of, the atmosphere should be among the best of the season.
2. At San Francisco 49ers — Sunday, Dec. 9, 1:05 p.m. PST
Broncos Ring of Famer John Lynch hasn't relaxed during his second season as the 49ers' general manager. They are yet another team that has seen its share of changes over the last year, as longtime Seattle Seahawk Richard Sherman joined the fold this offseason. They'll also add another top-10 pick in next week's NFL Draft.
But the biggest acquisition for the 49ers in quite some time is undoubtedly the trade they executed last season for Jimmy Garoppolo. They've since signed "Jimmy G." to a long-term contract extension, and he's given San Francisco fans a reason to believe the best is yet to come. After taking over in Week 12 last season, he led the 49ers to wins in all five of his starts.
The Broncos, though, may need to get the best of Garoppolo in this game. The Week 14 matchup will likely be critical in the playoff stretch, and a loss may force the Broncos to win the remaining three games on their schedule. That would be a difficult task, given the two matchups against division opponents. A win in Santa Clara, though, could give Denver some breathing room.
1. Los Angeles Rams — Sunday, Oct. 14, 2:05 p.m. MDT
Could there be any other answer? Aqib Talib and Wade Phillips return to Denver for the first time since Talib was traded this offseason and Phillips joined for the Rams following the 2016 season. Both men were key pieces of the Super Bowl 50 team — but they're now in Los Angeles searching for another ring.
Here's what historical trends tell us about the Broncos' 2018 schedule. (Written by Andrew Mason)
The Broncos open with an NFC opponent for the second time in three years and the 10th time in franchise history. Denver has won four consecutive Week 1 games against NFC opponents dating back to a 7-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in 1977. This will also be the Broncos' eighth consecutive Week 1 home game after a run of six consecutive Week 1 road trips from 2005-10. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
For the fourth time in the last seven seasons, the Broncos host the Raiders in the first quarter of the season. The Broncos have won three of those games -- including the last three in succession (2012, 2013 and 2017). The Broncos also hope to continue their strong performance against Jon Gruden-led teams; Denver is 9-1 against his clubs -- 7-1 against the Raiders from 1998 through 2001 and 2-0 against his Buccaneers. The Broncos won at Tampa in 2004 and in Denver four years later, giving them an overall 5-0 mark at home against teams coached by Gruden. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)
The last time the Broncos played at Baltimore so early in the season was in John Elway's rookie year. On Sept. 11, 1983, he started and helped power Denver to a 14-10 win over the Colts on a day when the 99-degree heat was exceeded by the fire of anger from Baltimore fans still upset that Elway opted not to play there, which helped set up the famed blockbuster trade to the Broncos. (Kirby Lee via AP)
If it's the Chiefs, it must be in prime time -- or so it seems. This will mark the sixth consecutive season in which at least one of the Broncos-Chiefs games takes place in prime time, with ESPN airing this game on "Monday Night Football." The teams have split the six prime-time games in that span. Denver is also looking to snap a three-game home losing streak -- and a five-game overall skid -- against the Chiefs. (G. Newman Lowrance via AP)
The Broncos draw a bit of a break getting the Jets early in the season. Denver is 6-4 all-time in games played in New Jersey from September through November, but is 0-3 in games played after that -- including the loss to Seattle in Super Bowl XLVIII. (Kirby Lee/NFL)
Historically, the Rams are one of the more problematic opponents for the Broncos. They are the only NFC West team with a winning record against the Broncos (8-5), and they hold a current three-game winning streak over Denver dating back to an 18-10 decision in St. Louis to open the 2006 campaign. So anything different can help, including this item: Their 2018 game will mark the first time the teams have ever met in October. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)
It's a quick turnaround before the 24th Thursday game in Broncos history. Denver is 12-11 all-time on Thursday — including a series of Thanksgiving games during the AFL years — but the Broncos are 11-4 on Thursdays in the 21st century. Denver has also triumphed in four of its last five Thursday road games, including a 25-13 triumph at Indianapolis last December. (Gene Lower via AP)
The Broncos end their season series with the Chiefs before they even see the Chargers. This marks the first time since 1996 and just the second time since 1980 that the Broncos will complete their home-and-home with the Chiefs before November. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Denver hopes to continue its recent form in games before the bye when Deshaun Watson makes his first visit to Denver. The Broncos have won five of their last six games preceding a bye week, with the only loss in that run coming in a 26-20 overtime loss at Seattle in 2014. This will also be Case Keenum's first game against his original team. (Bill Baptist via AP)
Denver gets a November bye for the fourth time this decade (2010, Week 9; 2013, Week 9; 2016, Week 11). (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Denver hopes to snap a two-game post-bye losing streak when the team ventures to StubHub Center. The Broncos are 21-8 all-time after byes, including a 6-3 mark in post-bye road games. (Ric Tapia via AP)
This has often been a prime-time game -- but it won't be this year unless it is moved via the NFL's flexible-scheduling policy. The last three Broncos-Steelers regular-season games in Denver (2007, 2009, 2012) were all played on Monday or Sunday night. (Ryan Kang via AP)
This marks the fourth consecutive season in which the Broncos and Bengals have met, which has never happened before. That isn't all that is unusual about this game; consider that the last three contests have each seen the losing team score exactly 17 points -- with two of the games decided by the same 20-17 score. (Scott Boehm via AP)
The Broncos' first regular-season game at Levi's Stadium -- where they won Super Bowl 50 -- is also their first true road game against the 49ers since 2002, when they won 24-14. The 2010 game against the 49ers was moved to London's Wembley Stadium. The 16-year gap between regular-season trips to the San Francisco Bay Area to face the 49ers is the longest in the history of the series, beating the previous mark by seven years. (NFL Photos via AP)
Denver hopes to continue its trend of Saturday home success in its first game with the Browns since 2015. The Broncos have won six of their last seven regular-season Saturday home games, dating back to a 14-13 Week 15 win over the Chiefs in 1985. The Broncos also hope to extend their home mastery over the Browns; they haven't lost at home to Cleveland since 1990. Including the postseason, Denver has won 12 of its last 13 home against the Browns. (AP Photo/David Richard)
The Broncos hope that their Christmas Eve showdown with their longtime rivals brings more glad tidings than their last few Dec. 24 road trips. The Broncos have lost three consecutive Christmas Eve road games -- at San Diego in 2007, at Buffalo in 2011 and at Washington last year -- and haven't won a Dec. 24 road game since 1995 ... at Oakland. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
This will mark the ninth season since the NFL mandated that regular-season schedules end with division games. Playing the Chargers at home ensures that the Broncos will have closed the season with each of their division opponents three times since the league changed its Week 17 protocol. This will also mark the ninth time in the last 10 seasons that the Broncos have ended their regular season at home. (Greg Trott via AP)
With the addition of Marcus Peters, Ndamukong Suh and Brandin Cooks, the Rams have made it clear they're gunning for a Super Bowl appearance this season. As such, they'll likely provide one of the toughest tests of the season for the Broncos.
How will Talib's play and Phillips' scheme fare against Emmanuel Sanders, Demaryius Thomas and Case Keenum? The battles that took place at practice for years are now much more real. Chris Harris Jr. and Bradley Roby will face off against Cooks, Cooper Kupp and the rest of the Rams' offense. Von Miller will try to get the best of third-year quarterback Jared Goff. And Vance Joseph will face a stiff test against the 2017 Coach of the Year, Sean McVay.
If the Broncos can win this emotional reunion, it will certainly mean big things for their playoff hopes. In either event, though, it will provide a highly entertaining game that will likely be FOX's "America's Game of the Week."
Honorable mentions:
At Baltimore Ravens (Sunday, Sept. 23, 1 p.m. EDT):
The Broncos' road struggles in 2017 were well-documented. They lost their first six games away from home and picked up their lone win on Dec. 14 against a 3-11 Colts team. Head Coach Vance Joseph spoke about the importance of starting fast and eliminating turnovers so that the team could find itself in a fair football game. That rarely happened last year, and this game could provide the first indication of whether the team has turned the corner.
Houston Texans (Sunday, Nov. 4, 2:05 p.m. MST):
This game could have easily made the list. With a roster that includes J.J. Watt, Deshaun Watson, DeAndre Hopkins and Jadeveon Clowney, there will be no shortage of star power, and it's also a chance for Case Keenum to play against his former team. When Watson was healthy last year, the Texans were a threat to make a run for a playoff spot. If the Broncos are to make their own run this year, this could be one of those toss-up games they need to win. After nine weeks of play, the team will undoubtedly be ready for its Week 10 bye. Can the Broncos find a way to earn a win before heading into the off week?
Pittsburgh Steelers (Sunday, Nov. 25, 2:25 p.m. MST):
Perhaps more than any other game in 2018, a matchup with the Steelers should provide the Broncos with a measuring stick for where they stand in the AFC. Led by Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh's offense is arguably the league's best. Will a revamped defense be able to stand up to the potent attack? This will also be the Broncos' lone home game over the first four weeks after the bye.
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